Thursday, March 01, 2007
BAD NEWS POSSIBLY GETS LESS BAD
SI.com is reporting that, in August of 2004, Gary Matthews Jr. was sent human growth hormone in care of a friend and former minor league teammate. (That is the current extent of the allegations -- not that he used, but it was sent to him -- though as a practical matter it's hard to imagine someone ordering human growth hormone and not using it, even assuming these allegations have basis in fact.)
How is this possibly less bad?
Well, in 2004, human growth hormone was not banned by Major League Baseball; the ban began in 2005.
IF Matthews took HGH in 2004 only, he would not have been in violation of any major league rules. We have yet to hear reports that he may have been sent any such substances in subsequent seasons. What's more, the notion that his career year in 2006 might have been fueled by PED would lose traction IF we were to find out that any usage on his part was also taking place over his two prior seasons.
There is still vastly more about this story we don't know than we do know, of course, and I do not wish to jump to any sort of conclusions at this juncture. I'm just examining possibilities based on the allegations put forward in the media.
SI.com is reporting that, in August of 2004, Gary Matthews Jr. was sent human growth hormone in care of a friend and former minor league teammate. (That is the current extent of the allegations -- not that he used, but it was sent to him -- though as a practical matter it's hard to imagine someone ordering human growth hormone and not using it, even assuming these allegations have basis in fact.)
How is this possibly less bad?
Well, in 2004, human growth hormone was not banned by Major League Baseball; the ban began in 2005.
IF Matthews took HGH in 2004 only, he would not have been in violation of any major league rules. We have yet to hear reports that he may have been sent any such substances in subsequent seasons. What's more, the notion that his career year in 2006 might have been fueled by PED would lose traction IF we were to find out that any usage on his part was also taking place over his two prior seasons.
There is still vastly more about this story we don't know than we do know, of course, and I do not wish to jump to any sort of conclusions at this juncture. I'm just examining possibilities based on the allegations put forward in the media.
Labels: Applied Pharmacy, Gary Matthews Jr, Signature Pharmacy, steroids
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
STEROIDS?
Well, a few weeks ago, I was planning to do a piece on whether or not we could expect Gary Matthews, Jr. to repeat the unprecedented offensive success he experienced last season. That's a piece I still intend to do, but it appears I may have been scooped by the district attorney of Albany County, New York.
As I'm sure you have heard, Matthews is listed as a client of a Florida pharmacy accused of distributing steroids and other PED. Matthews is issuing highly comforting statements like "Until we get more information, I just can't comment on it" and "I will address [my name being on the client list] at [the] appropriate time".
What does this mean, if anything? Who knows. Though it's natural that suspicion would fall on a 31-year-old having a career year in this day and age, at this point we don't really have any real evidence linking Matthews to PED use, and even if it were proved that he had used in the past, the actual effects of such usage on quality of play are somewhat nebulous.
Depending on the legs of the story, it could, however, provide as unneeded distraction and side circus for our team, which isn't optimal. But for now, we should wait and see, and hold out hope that Matthews' involvement with this pharmacy, if any, was legit.
Well, a few weeks ago, I was planning to do a piece on whether or not we could expect Gary Matthews, Jr. to repeat the unprecedented offensive success he experienced last season. That's a piece I still intend to do, but it appears I may have been scooped by the district attorney of Albany County, New York.
As I'm sure you have heard, Matthews is listed as a client of a Florida pharmacy accused of distributing steroids and other PED. Matthews is issuing highly comforting statements like "Until we get more information, I just can't comment on it" and "I will address [my name being on the client list] at [the] appropriate time".
What does this mean, if anything? Who knows. Though it's natural that suspicion would fall on a 31-year-old having a career year in this day and age, at this point we don't really have any real evidence linking Matthews to PED use, and even if it were proved that he had used in the past, the actual effects of such usage on quality of play are somewhat nebulous.
Depending on the legs of the story, it could, however, provide as unneeded distraction and side circus for our team, which isn't optimal. But for now, we should wait and see, and hold out hope that Matthews' involvement with this pharmacy, if any, was legit.
Labels: Gary Matthews Jr, Signature Pharmacy, steroids
